Details are still scant, though the arms apparently targeted the Syrian Arab Coalition rebels, who later in the day announced they are changing their name to the Democratic Forces, after Kurdish faction YPG joined them amid reports the US promised a massive influx of new arms.

Those arms appear to be unrelated to those dropped today, which were mostly ammunition for existing small arms that the forces already have. The later arms shipments are said to include “fresh weapons” and everything they would need to capture ISIS capital Raqqa.

Though presented as a “new” strategy the Pentagon was actually doing weapons drops across Iraq for over a year now, a strategy that has come under criticism because on several occasions they accidentally dropped the arms where they would be recovered by ISIS.
It is noteworthy that the US chose the risky strategy of airdrops so far north, when the Turkish border is right there and their usual route for arms smuggling. The possibility of Kurdish factions benefiting from the arms may be the culprit here, as Turkey has opposed US aid to the Kurds in the past.

Author: Jason Ditz

As long as USG and the English, the Erdogan regime, the Saudis, the Europeans Neo fascism, as NATO militarism regime and those who wants for this war to continue, they we'll find a new rebels, as long as they can be called rebels armed with us arms manufacturers this war will continue.

It seams that USG betting on defeating Russia war wagainst barbarians so they need to find a group, even if they are only five of them, for this war to continue. USG intention never was or is about peace in Syria, the USG have a signed contract with his masters to replace the Syrian government no matter the costs of life's, human tragedy, human suffering and nations destructions.

Michael Kenny

No, they're betting on Putin defeating himself by getting bogged down and since that is what happened to every country that has tried to fight off an insurgency in the past, including the US and including Israel, that has spent nearly 70 years fighting the Palestinians without ever defeating them, it sounds like a fairly safe bet.

Jtt

The Obama administration has completely lost their sense of direction.

curmudgeonvt

They're heading in the direction they've been heading from the start.

Nick

"accidentally" dropped the arms where they would be recovered by ISIS."
Yeah right, It was an accident. Enough of this PLEASE.
All along we have been informed, through multiple sources, and which is now widely accepted as fact, The arms the US has been dropping into Syria has gone straight to ISIS, either by the combatants joining ISIS or handing them over for safe passage. Why should this be any different? The US needs to get out of Syria and stop making the problem worse there by the day. If there are allies on the ground that require weapons, let Russia take care of it. I do not trust the US one bit. It has caused and continues to exacerbate the problems everywhere they go, talk about an anti-Midas touch ( everything they touch turns to sewerage).

Michael Kenny

Of course, Putin must be allowed to win! Problem is, though, Putin can't win. Neither can the US, but it can survive a defeat. Putin can't. So the US is just sitting back and waiting for little Vlad to get himself throughly bogged down.

marc_j

On the other hand, Putin has chosen an identifiable side in the conflict. He is supporting a government with an army. The Syrian army is slowly loosing ground but they have a real stake in the outcome. America's rent-by-the-hour armies in Iraq and Afghanistan seem adept at folding like a cheap lawn chair.
Putin may yet become bogged down in Syria but his odds of success are far greater than the coalition of the clueless. You really can't describe current US incoherent action as "sitting back and waiting".

EME

These terrorist thugs supported by this corrupt USG regime don't
have the balls to face the Russians. Instead, they will use the
arms and ammunition received from their deranged Zionist masters
and war profiteers occupying Washington to slaughter more women
and children in the areas still under their control.

Joe Hill

This is the most dangerous policy move yet. By announcing these airdrops, they are spitting in Putin's face and daring him to attack US planes. How long does Uncle Sam think Putin will tolerate US TOW anti-tank missiles being used to kill Russian soldiers?

If these fools start World War III, I want to go first, for surely the Survivors will envy the Dead…

I could easily see a line-up of Putin, Assad and the Kurds against everybody else. By intervening, Putin has deprived himself of his role as a " neutral mediator" and turned the Syrian civil war into an extension of his antics in Ukraine.